Fiber optic transmission systems typically utilize an optoelectronic source such as a light emitting diode (LED) or a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) to generate optical signals for communication purposes. The optical signals are transmitted, for example, along optical glass fibers or through free space to a receiver, such as a diode or similar communications device. Such receivers can, for example, convert the optical signal to electrical signals or forward the signal on to other system components for analysis of the signal, further handling, and/or processing.
Such systems often utilize one or more methods for diagnosing problems among the individual optical lines and/or the optoelectronic devices of the system. In many instances these methods can be accomplished by disconnecting a portion of the network and attaching a diagnostic component thereto. This may result in system or component downtime which may be unsuitable in some instances, among other issues.
Additionally, a number of factors can impact the efficiency of an optical communication system including the quality of the optical signal produced by the optoelectronic device and the construction and alignment of the optical path. For example, in many systems, the optical device ports (e.g., input/output ports for optical signals to enter one or more of the optical fibers or devices of the system) must be aligned.
For instance, in many applications, the device ports and optical fibers and/or the optical fibers, connectors, and/or transceiver packages must be properly aligned. In applications where one or more mirrors are utilized, it may be difficult to properly align the mirrors with respect to the optical signal that is to interact with the mirror.
For example, in moving a mirror from a flat position to an upright position, the mirror may be difficult to raise to the precise desired position. Often hard stops are used to stop the mirror in the correct position, but these hard stops may damage the mirror or the actuation components due to the hard stopping force applied.
Further, components can lose effectiveness as they age, become worn, and/or dirty and, therefore, diagnostic systems can aid in determining where and/or how serious a fault in the system may be.
In some optical systems, MEMS switches can be utilized to direct an optical signal through the use of one or more mirrors. These MEMS devices may be very small and delicate to handle. Accordingly, in some fabrication methods, the handling of the MEMS device separately from a submount can damage the MEMS device before it is fully assembled.
Additionally, in some instances the size of a switching component may be important. For example, many optical communication systems utilize a mechanically transferable (MT) connector. These connectors typically have a standard size form factor and it may be desirable in some instances to provide a switch that can be sized to maintain this standard sized form factor. This can be beneficial in applications where the optical communications system and/or surrounding fixtures and/or hardware, are designed to accommodate only that size form factor.
In some instances there also may be a need to be able to determine whether an individual fiber optic connection or optical fiber is providing the desired or required signal quality. Accordingly, in some systems, it may be advantageous to selectively monitor the performance of an optoelectronic device without disconnecting the array from the optical pathway.
Such a system could, for example, eliminate costly down time and testing costs that may be required to diagnose each individual fiber and/or devices off-line. Furthermore, a switch could reduce or eliminate the potential for further damaging a system during a test procedure, among other benefits.